In just four days Nintendo will bring the most iconic franchise in gaming history to mobile devices with the launch of Super Mario Run. Nintendo hopes that the auto-running mobile app will draw new fans into the series, and Shigeru Miyamoto has previously stated that the game is designed to cater to players that find 2D Mario games on consoles too difficult, but inspiration for the game also came from a polar opposite group. In a recent interview with BuzzFeed, Miyamoto revealed that the idea for Super Mario Run came from watching speedrunners, or "super players," as Miyamoto calls them.

"According to Miyamoto, part of the inspiration for Super Mario Run's auto-running came from a surprising source: 'super players.' Watching online videos of these gamers' astounding speed runs and other feats of gaming skill, Nintendo employees noticed that the gamers never let up on the D-Pad. Mario always kept running, and all of the skill came down to the incredible precision of the jumping. What if, the Nintendo braintrust reasoned, all players could have that experience? Ironically, the most skilled Super Mario players in the world may be partially responsible for introducing Mario to thousands and thousands of first-time players."
— BuzzFeed

If Nintendo succeeds in their goal with Super Mario Run, first-time players will be attracted to the series via the simpler, mobile version of the game before eventually graduating on to console Mario titles. Hopefully it can bring even more talented speedrunners into the Nintendo audience!